A Great Weekend

It was near the fifth mile marker in the F3 Lake Half marathon when the guy running behind me said to noone in particular, "Tell me again, why are we doing this?"  I wanted to answer him, "because it's fun", but at the time I wasn't too sure I was having fun either.  

The idea of running a half marathon in Chicago in January sounds a little crazy.  And, well, it is.  Saturday morning in Chicago actually featured pretty mild weather for the middle of winter.  And still, it was no picnic for runners.  The path was icy, it was quite cold, and the chilling wind seemed to be in our faces no matter what direction we were headed.  In fact, I distinctly remember saying to my friend Greg that at least the wind was in our faces for the first half of the course going south.  But, of course, it shifted to hit us with a strong headwind on the way back heading north as well.

If it sounds like this is going to be a long list of complaints, however, it's definitely not.  Despite the conditions,  I enjoyed one of those days when you just start running and feel like you can keep going all day!  And I was reminded that there's no way to predict when you might have one of those days.

My friend Greg and I went to the race with the idea of simply doing an easy long weekend run.  We said at the start we would be happy to run 8:00/mile pace.  We did no warm-up or stretching, and waited until the last minute to get out of our warm car.  We managed to get there in time to watch a flash mob break out in front of us.  About 50 runners broke into a dance with music blaring over the speakers.  It was perfect for the spirit of the day.

After that, we moved to the starting line, near the front, with the 1200 other runners.  We took off and felt like we were taking it pretty easy.  But somewhere near the 2nd mile, I looked at my watch and realized we were running about 7:30/mile pace.

I told Greg it must be some weird anomaly, that we would slow down and settle into 8:00 pace soon.  But we didn't.  We continued, fighting the wind, and trying to keep our footing on the ice, through the ten mile mark.  We were still on 7:30ish pace.  Greg had been battling a cold and hadn't run all week, so he insisted I continue on while he eased up a little.  When he's feeling good, he's capable of running about 10 minutes faster than me for the whole distance.  So, while I wanted to hang with Greg and make sure he was ok, I was feeling really good, and he insisted, so.....  I kept up pace while he eased off a little.

The wind got fierce, but somehow I got to the 12 mile mark realizing I was right on pace to run 1:40, which is the mark I  consider to be a strong half marathon effort for me.  I crossed the line just and saw the time, 1:40 and change, and was satisfied.  But I also felt like I could keep going.  Why can't I get one of those days when I'm running a full marathon!  

At the post-race party at Cubby Bear, I saw a bar full of runners, still dressed from the race.  They were enjoying beer and bar food.  A just reward for braving the elements to run 13.1 miles!  There are some great pictures from the race online at this link:  http://www.flickr.com/photos/onesixtieth/sets/72157629100006097/  

Race organizers also told me that apparently a number of other runners had good days as well.  They heard several people talking about setting P.R.'s in Saturday.  Just think how well they could have run without the headwind etc.!

Normally after a good race like that, I would indulge a little that night.  And I did, a little, but the next morning brought event number two for the weekend.  As spokesperson for the public service announcements, I was committed to run the Step Up For Kids, AON stair climb.

This was the 15th annual climb, and I've been doing it for at least the last ten of those years.  This year, a couple of my friends from the Chicago Media Team joined in.  Christine Garcia, Kate Bongiovanni, and Tom Ahern all climbed the 1634 or so steps up the to the top of the 2nd tallest building in Chicago with me.

As work-outs go, this was a little more intense than the half-marathon, but it's over in a much shorter time.  I took it pretty easy (snapping pictures along the way) and managed to get to the top in a little more than 16 minutes.  

More importantly, the Children's Memorial Foundation raised a record amount of money at this year's event.  They also increased the number of climbers to more than 3,000, also a record. I caught my breath at the top in time to do a quick live shot for ABC7 (with my youngest daughter in tow).  You can see that clip, if you're interested, at this link:  http://abclocal.go.com/wls/video?id=8523183&syndicate=syndicate&section=

Meantime, you can still donate to help Children's continue their important work improving and saving the lives of kids around Chicago.  Here's the link: http://www.heroesforlife.org/site/TR/StepUp/StepUpforKids?pg=entry&fr_id=1310

This was a pretty busy weekend for January.  I'm ready to take it easy for a couple weeks!

See you on the roads.......

Mid-winter Push!

 
When I first heard talk of a half marathon in Chicago in January, I thought they must be joking.  With the extreme cold, ice, and snow, I figured they might get a handful of crazy people like me to do a long run along the lakefront on a Saturday and call it a race.  The funny thing is, that's apparently how it started.  But now it's a sold-out race for 1,200 runners!

Kimberly Stedman came up with the idea a couple years ago, after travelling to warm weather 'destination' races in previous winter months.  So she and her friends decided to stay home and do a race right here.  The first year she planned to have a dozen or so friends run a half marathon course already established in another race.  They were going to meet at her home.  But word travelled among her friends, and she found herself with 100 people involved.  So they had to move it out of her house, and get approval from the Park District.

Last year the idea continued to grow, as did the number of people interested.  But they failed to get the blessing of the Park District, so there was no 'official' race, though they did go ahead with the 'After Party'!  So they decided to to do it legally this year, with sponsors, a real race director, and full support along the course.  Universal Sole is partnering with Kimberly and promising to make it a well-organized event.

Stedman tells me this was never about making money, just having fun.  She is a banker in real life, and that limits her ability to devote her full attention to race organization.  So the entry fee is pretty cheap, by normal race standards.  But runners get a t-shirt, and a finisher's medal (that doubles as a beer bottle opener), as well as what promises to be a rockin post-race party.  

This is the kind of 'grass-roots' race that is what running is all about.  I certainly enjoy the big event-type races.  But there is definitely a place for races like this.  You should check out the web-site to see the cool silhouette 'Blago-running' logo!  Also, the name of the race screams fun, though I can't spell out what 'F3' stands for on a family-friendly website like this.  In any case, I'm looking forward to the race!  http://runningguru.com/EventInformation.asp?eID=f3events 

But that's just the first half of the weekend.  Sunday is the annual climb to the top of the AON building, called Step Up For Kids, benefitting the Children's Memorial Hospital foundation.  ABC-7 is a proud sponsor of this event, and I have been honored to serve as the station's spokesperson for the public service announcements we run. 

I've lost track of where the AON building ranks among the city's tallest buildings.  If Trump hasn't surpassed it, then it's still the second tallest skyscraper in the city.  I know.  I should know.  Anyway, the stair climb is a fun workout, with a nice reward at the end.  The party at the top is really nice, and the view overlooking Millenium Park and the south loop is amazing.

 
There is a competitive aspect to this climb.  It is a race, after all.  Terry Purcell (pictured), is one of the professionals who runs up the entire way.  Just to be clear, no one else does that.  I try to keep a steady pace, but I would not call what I do on stair climbs anything close to running.  I've done a bunch of them over the years, and I've picked up a few tips over the years.

You'll notice Terry has his hand on the rail in the picture, and that is definitely a good idea.  Use the rail to help pull yourself up.  Breathe steadily, and keep your feet moving.  I go back and forth between taking one or two steps at a time.  There are good arguments for either approach, and I suggest doing what feels best to you.

But if you don't want to climb, you can still support a great cause by sponsoring a climber.  Please follow the link to the website: ttp://www.heroesforlife.org/site/TR/StepUp/StepUpforKids?pg=entry&fr_id=1310  

Oh, and one more thing.  The race most Chicago Runners have in mind at this time of year is still several months away.  But registration for the Shamrock Shuffle is already filling fast.  Below is part of their most recent press release:  Only weeks after launching registration, the 2012 Bank of America Shamrock Shuffle 8K has already reached more than 17,000 registrants. As winter wears on, stay motivated to train and get fit by signing up for Chicago's annual kick-off road race. Secure your spot today by visiting the Registration page of shamrockshuffle.com.

I'll see you on the roads............

 

Trial Time

It was a little dreary along the lakefront path Sunday morning as I did a little 4 mile shake-out run.  Our extended fall weather is finally gone, and winter is upon us.  That means paying close attention to the ground to try to avoid patches of ice.  And wearing thick layers of running clothes to try to keep from freezing out there.  Ok, maybe it's not that bad.  I do actually enjoy winter running.  But it was a stark contrast to what we watched the day before in Houston!

My running friends usually get together every Saturday morning to run.  On tap last Saturday was a 16 miler in Barrinton.  But that was just the appetizer for the day.  Saturday afternoon was the highlight.  I don't normally see these guys all that often in regular clothes.  But Saturday was a special occasion that called for us to get together, have a few snacks and beverages, and sit in front of the TV.  No, not the NFL playoffs that much of the rest of the world was probably watching, but the U.S. Olympic marathon trials.

I actually had a last-minute invitation to attend the trials in person, but the airfare was a bit out of my price range, so I went with the next best option.  And it was a great way to see the whole race.  We gathered in the basement of my friend Tom's home for a couple reasons.  First, we were pretty sure the trials would not be on at any of the bars or restaurants in our neighborhoods.  Not with the 49ers and Saints playing at the same time.  Second, Tom has 3 month old twins at home, and we wanted to start getting them thinking about running early.  Ok, maybe it was actually so we could help feed them.  They are adorable, and they did seem to take a little extra interest in what was going on in front of them on the television!

And what they watched were impressive performances by some really great American runners who will make up our 2012 Olympic marathon team in London.  The men's and women's races were similar.  Both were fast, and dominated by the favorites from the early stages in what looked like ideal weather conditions in Texas.

 

I should mention off the bat, that the race was Saturday morning and we did our best to ignore reports of the results of the races all day until we watched the NBC broadcast on Saturday afternoon.  That meant staying off the computer and leaving the tv on some other channel than ESPN.

But once the we started to watch the race, it seemed to go like many would have predicted anyway.  On the men's side, Ryan Hall led an early torrid pace that took all but the serious contenders out of contention.  He seemed to recover well from his race in Chicago in October.  The big surprise, however, was how well 37 year Meb Keflezighi recovered from his P.R. effort in New York in November.  He won the race with a 2:09, with Hall just behind running easily.  Dathan Ritzenheim, the amazing 10,000m runner was closing fast on Abdi Abdirahman for the final spot, but he ran out of room, and Abdi held on. It was a fun race to watch.

The women's race was equally fun, with Shalane Flanagan and Desiree Davila leading a pack of about 8 women throught the early stages.  The two favorites were in good company, with the likes of Olympic veterans Deena Kastor and Kara Goucher in the group as well.  Unfortunately, the pride of St. Charles, Tera Moody, was not in the group.  She had to withdraw during the week because of a lingering hamstring injury.    

But Davila and Flanagan cruised to a pretty easy 1-2 finish with Goucher holding on for the final spot.  The NBC announcers proclaimed the men's and women's groups as one of the strongest US marathon teams in history.  Frank Shorter and Joan Benoit Samuelson, the honorary starters for the races, might take issue with those characterizations, but it's true that the teams both have strong runners.  On the men's side, there is a lot of experience, and talent.  On the women's side there is a lot of talent, speed and youth. 

London should be fun for the Americans this summer.  Running is all about participation, and enjoying the effort you put into it.  But was fun to watch some of the best in our sport take the spotlight for a little while on a Saturday afternoon.

See you on the roads........

 

.

Tera Moody

I was getting on the plane returning home from the Las Vegas half marathon last month, when I found my seat and a spot in the overhead bin for my bag.  I noticed the other luggage in the bin included running gear, and assumed it belonged to the woman sitting in the same row.  So I asked her about the race, and we struck up a conversation.

She told me she hadn't run, but was at the expo representing some shoe company, but it was clear she was a runner.  She seemed very curious about my running, asking a lot of questions.  Like most of us, I was happy to talk about my running.  But I am also a reporter, so I asked my share of questions.

Eventually she told me she runs a couple marathons a year, and is originally from the Chicago area, specifically St. Charles.  That should have been enough for me to realize who I was talking to.  But no.  We kept chatting and she told me she lives in Colorado Springs and does quite a bit of training there.  Yet another clue.

Then she revealed that she was injured, after feeling a pull in her hamstring at the San Antonio Rock-n-Roll race a month or so earlier.  She was bummed that it was keeping her from training for her next race, a marathon in Houston in January.  I tried to offer supportive comments about my own experience with injuries.  

Then I asked which race in January she was talking about, and she casually mentioned, it was the Olympic trials.  That led to talk about other mutual acquaintances who had qualified to run in the trials.  Believe it or not, I still didn't connect who I was speaking with, until I asked her how she hoped to do at the trials, and she replied that she was hoping to make the team.

 And to think I had her pegged as a semi-serious runner, the kind who started running after college and caught the bug.  Finally, a light went off in my head and I realized I was talking to one of the best American distance runners around. 

Many of you probably realize who I was speaking with at this point.  But for those who don't, I should add that I have met, and interviewed Tera Moody previously.  So there's really no excuse for my failure to recognize her.  The former St. Charles high school stand-out went on to run at the University of Colorado before continuing her career on the roads.  She was on the U.S. World Championship marathon team last summer, and has run very well in the Chicago Marathon several times.  I won't list her full resume, but she has been the subject of quite a bit of media coverage, and I'm a fan.  He're a link to a recent story in Runner's World:  http://olympictrials.runnersworld.com/2011/12/10/a-brief-chat-with-tera-moody/

By the time I realized who she was, we were separated by a passenger in the middle seat.  Somewhat rudely, we continued our conversation by talking around him.  I don't believe he was a runner, and he didn't appear as interested in running as either of us.  So, eventually I realized I should leave her alone, and quit bothering the guy sitting between us.

That meant I  never got to ask about her experience at the Worlds, or her take on the upcoming trials.  Nor did I get to question her about her well-documented insomnia.  We did chat briefly about a mutual friend of ours who is shooting a documentary on the efforts of several Chicago area women who trained to qualify and who are running in Houston this weekend.  Wendy Shulik's film is called 'Miles and Trials'.  Here is a link to her blog.  ttp://milesandtrialsfilm.blogspot.com/

The trials are always one of the most exciting televised marathons.  It's competitive, and there's lots of drama.  There are no rabbits, and it's all or nothing for the top three spots.  It's not about cash prizes, or time.  You either have a good day, or you go home.  It's all about making the Olympics.  Both the men and women race this Saturday morning in Houston.  NBC has a 2 hour broadcast of the races later that afternoon, and I believe you might be able to find a webcast of it somewhere.

The men's race will be extremely competitive with eight or ten guys capable of making the team.  The women's race could be even better.  The United States is blessed with the best crop of marathon runners we've had in quite a while.  I plan to be watching.  And rooting for a really nice lady who grew up in St. Charles.

See you on the roads......

 

 

 

Out With the Old!

It didn't feel like New Year's eve.  It certainly didn't look like it!  The temperature was in the 40's, the trail around Waterfall Glen was somewhat crowded, and there was no snow in sight. It was more like a typical Saturday morning run rather than a holiday weekend.  Except that the calendar really read December 31st, which is definitely New Year's eve, the final day of the year.

And I can't think of a better way to observe the occasion than a nice run around Waterfall Glen with they guys I've been running with for so many years.  

Normally during the holidays it's hard for our group to get together.  Many of us travel or have family responsibilities that keep us from running as a group during the holidays. For some reason, that wasn't the case this year.  Two of our best turnouts of the year among the regular, or semi-regular members of our group, were Christmas eve and New Year's eve. 

I'm not sure whether that's significant, but our conversation during the run was.  As was fitting for the end of one year and the beginning of another, we talked about our best races of 2011, and our goals for 2012.  I have to admit my goals are still unclear at this point.  I know I don't want to stay stagnant, and want new experiences, but I'm not sure what I want to pursue at this point.  It's fun to go faster at shorter distances, but it's also satisfying to run well in longer races, like the marathon.  I guess I need a few more weeks to figure it out.

My friend Rick observed that the mild winter so far might very well translate into faster early season times next spring for many runners, because we are able to better train outdoors so far.  That makes sense.  But I have to imagine there is still some winter wrath to face in the next couple months.  

Since moving to the burbs and joining the Elmhurst Running Club a few years ago, I have generally started my new year with the club's new year's day run.  Stranded with no babysitter this year, I was dissapointed to have to miss it this year.  Instead I found myself on a treadmill grinding out a few miles later on Sunday afternoon.  It wasn't fun.  But the run the day before was so enjoyable, I feel like I have no right to complain.  

And if there is a message in that for the coming year, I guess it's a reminder that sometimes you have to grind out a mundane run in order to appreciate the extraordinary ones.  This is starting to feel more like Thanksgiving than New Years, but I am truly thankful for all that running has given me, and I look forward to much more in the year ahead.

Happy New Year!  See you on the trails......